Anti-government protesters make their way across the Buddhayodfah bridge on Jan. 9 during a warm-up rally to paralyze Bangkok on Monday.

BANGKOK–Thai authorities are preparing to cope with a massive rally aimed at paralyzing the capital on Monday as anti-government protesters intensify an ongoing bid to oust Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

The protesters, led by former opposition politician Suthep Thaugsuban, say they will block seven key intersections in the heart of Bangkok, creating a potential traffic nightmare in a city of at least six million residents.

Associated Press

Anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban (right) with a supporter on Jan. 9 in Bangkok during a warm-up rally to paralyze the capital.

Mr. Suthep and his mostly middle-class supporters accuse Ms. Yingluck of working to serve the interests of her elder brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, a former prime minister ousted in a military-led coup in 2006. They also say they are opposed to a snap election on Feb. 2, which Ms. Yingluck’s Pheu Thai party is projected to win.

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Mr. Suthep, who had been leading anti-government protests since November, said the shutdown will kick off Monday morning but has not specified when his battle against Ms. Yingluck will end.

Thai authorities predict that the protests will affect at least one million commuters and more than one hundred transit routes, especially in inner Bangkok.

City officials have instructed about 140 government schools to close on Monday.

The Ministry of Transport has urged Bangkok residents to use public transportation, including the city’s elevated train, subway, buses and boats, to avoid getting stuck in gridlock caused by the rallies and blockades. To relieve traffic congestion, the ministry said it will provide free parking in at least 30 locations so commuters can connect to public transportation. The city’s bus, boat, and train systems will also run more frequently to accommodate an increase in passenger numbers, which are expected to nearly double.

To aid travelers in a city that is also a major tourist destination, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports says it will set up hotline centers and five help desks to provide guides on how to avoid protest sites and recommend alternative routes visitors can take to get around. About 70 volunteers will be dispatched to help tourists at the help centers.

“We’ll also provide vans and buses in case of an emergency to accommodate the commute of both incoming and outgoing tourists,” said Weerawut Tapinta, director of the ministry’s tourist help center.

Tourism accounts for more than 7% of Thailand’s gross domestic product, and the prolonged protests are starting to have an impact on the sector. The Tourism Ministry’s permanent secretary told reporters on Thursday that hotel occupancy in Bangkok is expected to fall by 30-40% in the first quarter of the year.

Over the past nine weeks of protests, eight people, including a police officer, have been killed in mostly violent clashes. The confrontations have been between both protesters and groups in opposition to them, as well between protesters and police. Fifteen people are still being treated in hospitals from injuries inflicted during previous rallies, according to Bangkok’s emergency medical center.

Police say they will deploy around 15,000 officers and soldiers to prevent the rallies on Monday from turning violent. Ms. Yingluck told local media on Thursday that all sides would be held responsible if any violence occurs.

National and local medical teams have also come up with plans to provide immediate response in the event of an incident, while mobile emergency units and ambulances provided by the city will be on standby in about 25 locations. A press release on the city government’s website said there would be patient pick-up locations at three elevated train stations to shuttle anyone in need of assistance to the hospital in case traffic came to a standstill.

Thailand’s Public Health Ministry has also instructed hospitals in provinces surrounding Bangkok to prepare extra rooms and personnel in case of an emergency. The ministry’s permanent secretary told local Thai media that the ministry will work with Thailand’s Air Force to arrange air lifts for critical patients in a worst-case scenario.

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